What Apple doesn't understand.

Macrumors has a quote from Steve Jobs about the 3rd party apps issue that's making the intertubes light up like a christmas tree.

“We define everything that is on the phone. You don’t want your phone to be like a PC. The last thing you want is to have loaded three apps on your phone and then you go to make a call and it doesn’t work anymore. These are more like iPods than they are like computers.”

If there's going to be a reason for the iPhone to flop, that's it right above this line. keeping the iPod a closed system, whatever, it's a DAP and a really nice one, I don't care to try and run Linux on it, or anything like that.

Phones AREN'T iPods. Apple has a significant uphill battle if it plans to market the iPhone to serious users (I assume that's the target market, based on the price). By making the iPhone a closed system, Apple is essentially marketing a $600 Tmobile Sidekick. I've looked at sidekicks a few times (once each time a new version comes out), and each time it has been dropped from the running because, while neat looking, and packed with neat features, those features are locked. If I want a chat client they don't offer, Tuff. If I want to change my email, tuff. If I want to add an IRC client, or Jabber or anything, Tuff.

I think perhaps, Seve doesn't own a mobile phone? Or is just so far removed from his days as a hacker he's forgetten, but people want devices that serve their needs, and if they have to load up other apps to accomplish it, they're not bothered. But when looking for a phone that does only what Steve thinks a phone should do, I think the iPhone will NOT be the darling the iPod is.

It's kind of shocking that Apple would turn it's back on the incredible developer community that it's helped create. All the custom widgets on apple.com, all the great things that run on OS X... Is the OS X under the iPhone so fragile??

I'd take NewNewsWire Mobile, Bookpedia mobile, yojimbo lite, etc in a heartbeat, because those apps, will make the iPhone great.

Apple has six months to figure this out, maybe they will. If not, I'll be $1200 richer (since Nicole needs a more than a phone phone too). and we'll be sporting Treos or Crackberries.

Steve if you're out there. CLOSED SYSTEMS SUCK. how good would MacBook Pros sell if they came loaded with iLife and iWork and had no ability to add software?

Merlin Mann has a very similar post, he's more eloquent than I